Pest Control
by Villicus
Summary: After inadvertently breaking into Carrie's household, Rob is offered a permanent place to stay in exchange for one small favor. A favor that suddenly sees him as part of an unlikely trio, initiated into a secret order of guardians protecting the world from an extradimensional threat.
1. Prologue

**Pest Control  
****by Villicus**

_After inadvertently breaking into Carrie's household, Rob is offered a permanent place to stay in exchange for one small favor. A favor that suddenly sees him as part of an unlikely trio, initiated into a secret order of guardians protecting the world from an extradimensional threat._

* * *

**Prologue**

* * *

Rob's stomach growled.

He hugged himself and looked up at the night sky. Large, thick clouds were coming in like giant, amorphous beasts of the night, blocking out the light of the full moon above. Thunder echoed from beyond, distant and quiet at first, then erupting in a series of loud claps. It would start to rain soon, and Rob doubted he'd have time to return to the Watterson's basement.

His efforts today had been in vain, and he found himself empty-handed after what felt like twelve hours of chasing after the wind. Odd jobs, spare change, scraps of food — all had eluded him today, leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

He knew better than to sulk about it. It wasn't the first time the sun had gone down on him as he was wracked with pain from hunger, and it surely wouldn't be the last. He had already accepted that all this was mostly out of his control.

_Doesn't make it suck any less_, he thought to himself, gripping at his groaning stomach with a disfigured hand. He paused and shut his eye tightly, mentally willing the pain away from his senses, or at least trying his best to ignore it.

He sighed. In predicaments like these, he _almost_ wished he was still stuck in that _other place_, where time had no effect on him, where he was free from the shackles of biological processes, where he was free from the crushing demands and burdens of life as a kid without friends or family.

_Almost. _

He shook his head, not letting himself dwell on that train of thought any further. He raised his head up high, forcing a reminder upon his thoughts, a reminder of what he had been through and what he had endured, a reminder of the day he had defied the universe and clung to life beyond the static void, holding on for all he was worth with every iota of his strength and will, just to escape. The sense of utter desperation and deep, resonant fear was still fresh in his mind as if it happened just moments ago, so _real_ and _vivid_ that he could not ever forget it for as long as he lived.

Against all odds, he _made it out,_ and that was an accomplishment in and of itself, one that nobody else could ever hope to achieve.

A trace of a smirk formed on his face.

He had survived, and that was all that mattered. He would _continue _to survive, to fight with all of his being to make his mark upon the world, no matter how long or painful the road, even if only to spite the forces that put him in that other place. He would not only just survive, but _live. _

And when he saw something distinct against the unending sea of shadow and darkness that draped across the entire neighborhood, he almost believed that he could.

A large mansion stood in the distance, seemingly abandoned. He hastily made his way towards it with renewed vigor in his step, hoping to find it empty. The thought of having a bed to sleep in for once made him forget about his fruitless hunt for food.

He approached the house under the low hum of the falling rain, quietly climbed over the fence, and looked in the nearest window.

The dark, quiet and dilapidated rooms brought a smile to his face. He circled the house, peering in through the windows until he found a bedroom. He gingerly opened the window and quietly snuck inside, though he was fairly certain that he was alone. The room was in very poor condition, but that just reassured him that no one had been present for a very long time.

He dried himself off with the curtains and sighed in relief. He had a place to rest for tonight. Sitting down on the bed and hugging an old pillow, he found sleep.

And he would have slept soundly, had it not been for the loud guitar riffs that suddenly assaulted his eardrums.

Rob sat up with a jolt. "What in the…?"

Loud music thundered from the upper floor, reverberating through the walls and making it impossible for Rob to hear himself think.

"How in the world?" he asked himself. "I thought for _sure_ this place was empty."

He got to his feet and went to investigate.

Shredding guitars, machine gun-like drums, and intense electronic synths accompanied a powerful bassline that shook him to the bone.

As he made his way up, he could hear screaming.

"Who the heck plays metal in the middle of the night?!" Rob muttered to himself as he approached the room where the music was coming from. The door was slightly open, and he peeked inside.

He squinted at what he saw. "Oh. _You._ Of course."

Inside was his former classmate, Carrie Krueger, the ghost. She was headbanging to the music and had her arms raised.

"Well, as long as she doesn't know I'm here, I can probably stay," Rob said to himself.

"Ahem."

Rob froze.

"What are you doing outside my daughter's bedroom?"

Rob slowly turned around and looked up at an elderly man with a trench coat. Or rather, a ghost in a trench coat, as he had the same ghost tail as Carrie.

"Trespassing in a ghost's home is very unwise, son," he said in a stern voice.

The ghost's hands started to glow.

"But peeping on my daughter is asking for a death wish. Would you like to explain yourself?"

Rob gulped as a threatening aura enveloped him, paralyzing him in fear. He stammered, "I… I… uh…"

The door opened, blasting Rob with music and making him wince.

"Dad?" Carrie asked. "What's going on? Who's this?"

The older ghost's glare never left the cyclops. "That is a very good question. And I hope we get an answer in the next five seconds. I'd hate to have to clean ectoplasm off the floor tonight."

Rob gulped again. "Ectoplasm?" he whimpered.

"Son, I'm not going to ask again. What are you doing in our home?"

"I—I, I thought it was an abandoned house! I didn't know, I swear! I just wanted a place to stay for tonight!"

His stomach growled again, making him clench his jaw in both embarrassment and anger. _Why now? _he thought.

The two ghosts looked at each other, then back at Rob. They remained silent, unnerving him further.

"M—my name is Rob," the boy added quickly. "I… I used to be your classmate, Carrie."

Carrie squinted at him. "You know me?"

"Yes. I…"

Carrie crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. Although memories of an incident involving a bus and a ticking briefcase stirred in her mind, she dismissed them and said, "But there hasn't even been anyone named Rob at Elmore Junior High for at least twenty years. And I _definitely_ don't remember you."

Rob gulped. No lying out of this one. "I was… sent to a weird place that made everyone forget about me."

"What?"

Rob shut his eye and gritted his teeth. Even before he spoke, he knew how ridiculous that sounded.

He sighed. "Nevermind. You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Carrie stared at her father.

"Try us," Vlad said to Rob, completely surprising him.

The ghost's hands stopped glowing, and he seemed to have a less hostile aura about him.

"My name is Vladus Lovus Lokowitchki. But you can call me Vlad for short."

He motioned to the stairs.

"Come downstairs. It seems we need to have a serious talk."

* * *

Gathered round an old table, Rob proceeded to tell his tale, or at least what he could remember of it, while the two ghosts listened closely. Rob recounted everything he had done since his return: from his escape on the back of Mr Small's van, to hiding out in the Watterson's basement, to his efforts at surviving within Elmore completely by himself. He decided to leave out his newfound identity as Dr. Wrecker, however.

"A survivor from the Void," Vlad said, staring at Rob in awe. "Fascinating."

Rob felt a chill shoot up his spine when he heard "the Void." He was not pleased to learn that the place had an actual name. Its grip on him suddenly felt far more tangible and inescapable. He took a long sip of hot chocolate that had been provided for him, but it did nothing for the cryogenic frost he felt inside.

"Well, I guess that explains a lot," Carrie muttered. "I still can't believe that place is real."

"It is," Rob replied in a quiet voice. "It is _very_ real."

Vlad took a deep breath. "I suppose I can't blame you _too_ much for coming here for refuge."

Rob stood up, staring at his feet. He felt his hands form fists. "I'm sorry, sir. I'll go now, and I'll never come back, I promise."

He turned around and made his way to the exit. The roar of the rain outside rang loudly in his ears.

"Wait," Vlad said.

Rob stopped, looking over his shoulder.

Vlad put his hands together, attempting to sit back in his chair and phasing through it slightly. "I… I might have some work for you, if you are interested."

Carrie raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What work?"

"In exchange, you can stay here for as long as you want," Vlad continued.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Carrie asked. A brief moment of silence passed and her one visible eye widened. "Wait, you don't mean—?"

"We need someone to investigate the pest reports, Carrie, and I have never been more certain that Rob here is fit for the job."

The ghost girl stared at her father in disbelief, mouth agape. "What!? You can't be serious!"

"I am deadly serious," Vlad replied. "Pun not intended."

"We can't drag a random nobody into this!" Carrie said, hurting Rob in a way that she could never imagine.

"Carrie, please," Vlad replied.

"What if he gets hurt, or worse?"

Rob gnashed his teeth. Anger filled every inch of his being.

"I'll do anything," Rob said, rushing up to the table, hands clenched in fury. "Whatever it is, I can do it!" He stared at Carrie, barely able to control his seething rage. "I am _not_ a nobody."

Carrie looked at him, stunned. "I… I'm sorry for calling you—"

"I'm not as helpless as you think!_" _Rob snapped, jabbing a disfigured finger at her. "I survived the Void, what makes you think that whatever you need done holds a candle to—"

"Because what we need you to do is indirectly related to the Void," Vlad said, in the calmest and gentlest voice only a person of his age and experience could muster.

Despite the way he had said it, it felt like a bullet through Rob's chest, shattering his resolve. Fear and apprehension instantaneously displaced his anger, paralyzing him like a strike of lightning. He slowly turned to the older ghost with an eye wide open in shock, tacitly asking if he had heard correctly.

Despite their ethereal nature, Rob saw sympathy and understanding in Vlad's eyes.

But also — an unassailable seriousness and sternness.

A tense silence persisted.

"Weeeeell, looks like you've got it from here, dad," Carrie muttered. She quickly teleported away in a bright flash of flight. The loud music resumed upstairs.

Vlad stared at the cyclops for a moment, then sighed, setting his hands down on the table. "I need you to do something for me. It… could be nothing… or something very, _very_ bad."

Rob remained silent, staring fearfully, his determination and drive sucked out of him as easily and as quickly as—

The Void had when it sucked _him_ away.

Vlad continued, "I understand if you will refuse. But know that I am out of options, and I still firmly believe that you are the perfect choice for the task at hand."

Rob gulped repeatedly, his throat dry, making it a struggle to speak.

"... Why? Why me?"

Vlad looked back at him. "I mean no offense, but it is _precisely _because you are…" He paused, making a small circular gesture with his hand. "Relatively unknown."

Rob knew that Vlad deliberately avoided using the term _nobody_, and while the effort was appreciated, it still stung.

"So you need something done in secret?" Rob asked.

Vlad nodded. "It's nothing illegal, if you're worried about that. Just a simple task."

"How is the Void related to this?"

"I'll get to that. I should explain the situation first." Vlad squinted and pursed his lips. "If you choose to accept, that is."

Rob was silent for a few moments. "I want to know what's going on first."

Vlad nodded again and cleared his throat.

"Recently, people have been reporting sightings of a strange—well, more strange than usual—creature here in Elmore. Though like I said, it's probably nothing. Perhaps just another infestation of killer turtles."

"So do I have to extermina—er, _relocate_ some turtles?"

"What? No, son. I have agents out and about following up on the reports already. What I want you to do is something far more important."

Rob was confused. "What do you mean?"

Vlad remained silent, staring at the table.

He took a deep breath. "Let's get this clear, Rob. If it turns out to be as bad as I fear, then this could be extremely dangerous, and either way, you _must_ swear secrecy. Well, not really. I could always take control of you and that will ensure you _never_ speak of it."

Rob choked. "_What?_"

"Oh, did I say that out loud?" Vlad said nonchalantly. "Anyway, I do have a story to tell you."

"… What does this have to do with—"

"This is where the Void comes in. May I continue?"

Rob shut his mouth, then nodded eagerly.

"Very good. Now…" Vlad floated to a nearby dusty shelf and retrieved an ancient-looking book. On the cover, Rob could make out the words "The History of the Valluta."

Blowing the dust off it and flipping it open, Vlad began to read. "Centuries ago, strange creatures appeared in the Underworld. Wicked, violent beasts that lay waste to everything, pouring from portals from another realm. Something we call... the Void."

Rob felt a lump in his throat, but remained silent. Just hearing that word now brought him dread.

Vlad concentrated for a moment, then muttered an incantation. Magical ringing filled the air, and the book began levitating in front of the two and projecting images of the "pests" for Rob to see. He saw creatures of various shapes, sizes and colors, noticing they looked like amalgamations of different animals smashed together, all equipped with an assortment of destructive claws, fangs, and appendages.

Vlad continued, "In order to combat and contain the threat of these pests, the order of the Valluta was formed. Sworn to uphold the balance and protect the world from these vicious monsters, collapsing their portals and staving off their soldiers, driving them back to wherever they came from."

A group of figures in black and white robes wielding various weapons replaced the pests. All had a symbol on their chests, that of a sideways angular 8 colored like a yin yang symbol.

Vlad closed the book, dispelling the visuals. "Centuries, Rob. We have been at war with these pests for centuries, even during"—he paused, his head bowed—"even when I became the Snatcher."

Before Rob could ask anything, Vlad shook his head and continued. "To this day neither side has gained advantage. It is balanced, you may say. And the world remains safe."

His voice turned grave. "Until now."

He looked Rob in the eye. "I want you to go to the Valluta outpost in the Underworld, and investigate the possibility of a monster escaping through their defenses. If you can do that, well, you can stay here for as long as you want."

Taking another deep breath, Vlad quietly added, "I'm afraid I cannot even ask you if you are ready or if you can handle this. You likely cannot, but the fate of the world is potentially at risk. You now know what is at stake. The final question is, _will you do this?_"

Rob's fists clenched. This was his chance. His opportunity to impact the world, and, just maybe, save it.

Or die trying.

His thoughts churned as he pondered his choices. If all this turned out to be nothing, he'd still have a place to finally call home.

And if it turned out to be the most dangerous threat that the world had yet to see, he'd probably get caught up in it eventually anyway.

He took a deep breath.

"I'll do it."

Vlad nodded, and took out a badge, a symbol of the Valluta, a sideways angular 8 colored black and white. "Welcome to the Valluta, Rob."

Vlad also produced a ring. "Take this. Wearing it will allow you to see a ghost at the docks, who will take you to the outpost. Find Tendeth. Report back to me once you are done."

Rob took the ring in his fist and stared at it for a while. He looked up. "I won't let you down."

Vlad nodded and returned to his chair. "You can spend the night here, I suppose." He pointed up at the ceiling, shaking violently from both the storm and the loud music thundering from Carrie's room. "If you can sleep through _that_, anyway."

"I think I'll find a way," Rob replied. "Thank you, sir."

With that, Vlad took Rob to another room, in much better condition than the previous one, and more importantly, far away from Carrie's room. The older ghost bid him goodnight and phased through the walls, leaving him be for the time being.

With a heavy sigh, Rob pushed down the anxiety of the task awaiting him the next day. He could deal with it later.

All of that would come — later.

For now, he could rest easy.

It was the one night where Rob slept with a smile on his face.

* * *

**Phase 1**

**Quiet Before the Swarm**

_Creatures from the Void have appeared in the Underworld, causing havoc and destruction unequaled by any threat seen before. The Valluta is formed, a secret order dedicated to containing this threat, but sightings of a strange creature have begun to spread in Elmore. Has a monster escaped despite the Valluta's efforts? A certain cyclops has agreed to assist with the investigation._

**Coming Soon**


	2. Phase 1 — Quiet Before the Swarm

**Pest Control  
****by Villicus**

* * *

**Phase 1**

**Quiet Before the Swarm**

* * *

Morning's glow bathed Rob as he stood alone at the docks, staring out into the ocean. He looked down at the ring in his palm and took a deep breath.

_Oh man… Why did I agree to this?_ he thought to himself. A few moments of silence passed, during which Rob gulped down his anxiety and fear. He shook his head. _No. It's going to be fine. This is probably nothing. I got myself a place to stay, and that's what matters._

He put on the ring and braced himself, but nothing interesting seemed to happen.

Until he looked up and saw a transparent person standing in an equally transparent wooden ship in the water. Rob yelped and took a step back.

"To the outpost?" the ghost asked. It was dressed in the same black and white robes as those of the Valluta that Rob had seen the night before.

Rob was quiet for a moment, trying to process the strange sight. He calmed himself down with another deep breath then nodded nervously.

The ghost thrust its hand towards him and a gangplank flew out from the side of the ship, falling down at Rob's feet, startling the cyclops once more. He looked up and saw that the ghost had vanished.

He gulped and forced himself forward. Rob put one foot tentatively on the gangplank, as it too was transparent. He expected his foot to phase right through it, but it felt solid enough and held his weight.

As soon as Rob made it onto the ship, it began to move on its own, sailing off into the ocean at full speed, almost knocking him off balance. He grabbed at the rail to steady himself, and before he knew it, everything blurred around him as the ship moved at a velocity it couldn't have possibly reached with its sails alone. The sky seemed to intermittently and subtly change colors, as if Rob was reaching the interface between worlds.

In a way, he was. Vlad had provided him the book on the Valluta before he left, and in it, Rob had learned that the outpost was stationed in a rather unique area — one where the Underworld and the physical world slightly overlapped, and thus allowed mortals and ghosts to interact without need for spells or possession.

However, this also meant that the area served as a large weakness between the Void and Elmore, along with various other dimensions in between, a weakness that the void pests had exploited for centuries to invade other realms. Thankfully, the quick formation and response of the Valluta drove back the pests as they poured from their portals, eventually containing and quarantining them to various deserted islands of sandy scree, where they would be locked in a stalemate with the Valluta for hundreds of years. Thanks to the anomalous temporospatial qualities of the area, mortals merely required special transportation to make it to the location in question, while the rest of the world remained completely, _blissfully_ unaware.

Until today.

Rob looked up and saw the Valluta outpost before him: a small island with several structures, surrounded by vast ocean. The ship slowed and docked at a wooden pier, and another translucent gangplank materialized for Rob. Taking a deep breath, he quickly and confidently strode across, feeling anxiety lift once his feet touched solid ground.

"What is your business here?" a strident, gruff voice asked, making the cyclops instantly gasp and whip around towards its source.

Easily towering over him, the figure seemed to command reverence and respect by his mere presence — a disposition enhanced by his old appearance and white beard. The symbol of the Valluta gleamed on his chestplate, and a single pauldron on his left shoulder displayed three white stripes underneath a chevron, indicating his rank.

Rob gulped. "Are you Commodore Tendeth?"

"I am," the man replied.

"My name is Rob, and I've been sent here by Vlad," Rob continued. "There have been reports of a monster being sighted in Elmore and he wants me to investigate the truth of the sightings."

The commodore raised his eyebrow. "Then why are you here? Shouldn't you be investigating in Elmore?"

Rob cleared his throat and replied, "Vlad has agents doing that already, apparently. He wants me to investigate if the creature may have come from here."

Tendeth crossed his arms. "No one under my command would let a void pest escape. But, go ahead and waste your time investigating if it keeps us on good terms with Vlad. I don't have time to deal with you myself, though. Speak to my second in command, Captain Perior. He's around here somewhere… big guy with floppy hair."

"What? But Vlad told me—"

The commodore raised his hand, making Rob flinch. "Look, I don't like you investigating my people, but I respect Vlad and I'm not going to get on his bad side. Investigate your case, but don't bother me until you've run it by Captain Perior first."

He turned and quickly entered a building, shutting the double doors locked behind him.

Rob gaped at the spot where the commodore had just been, squinting in disbelief. He swung at the air and stomped his foot in frustration. "Ugh! Of _course._ It can never be a simple task! Where am I gonna find—"

"How can I help you?"

Rob turned and found another member of the Valluta, matching the description of Captain Perior. He was much younger and his attire was similar to the commodore's, except his waistband was light brown and the pauldron on his left shoulder only had two white stripes.

"Oh, wow. That was convenient," Rob said. He realized he still had a question to answer. "Uh, Commodore Tendeth said you could help me? I'm conducting an investigation regarding… uh… reports on a monster in Elmore. Vlad wanted me to know if it could have possibly escaped from here."

The captain's forehead scrunched up. "An escaped pest? I… suppose it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility, and one could have made it off the island — though it's highly unlikely." He shrugged. "Well, orders are orders. I'd recommend speaking with the residents of the island, find out what they know. If you don't find anything, report back to me and we'll take it from there."

Rob nodded. "Alright. Sounds like a plan. Any suggestions on where to start?"

The captain rubbed his chin. "I suppose you can ask Sir Vey Lance first."

Rob thought he heard incorrectly. "Sorry, what did you say?"

Perior blinked. "Uh… I said you can talk to Vey first." He pointed at a person in the distance. "That's him right there."

"Oh. Okay," Rob replied. "Well, I'll get on with it, then."

"Good luck," Perior said.

Rob nodded and left.

* * *

"Do you have a minute?" Rob asked. "I'd like to ask you some questions. My name is Rob."

A man with black locks of hair holding a strange-looking mace responded, "Sure, I've got time. My proper title is Sir Vey Lance, but you can just call me Vey."

_Surveillance?_ Rob thought, internally facepalming. _Really?_

The cyclops shook his head. "Have you noticed anyone acting suspicious lately?"

Vey replied, "Well, my friend Sam always acts suspicious, but that's because he's paranoid… and more than a little bit obsessed with cake."

Rob thought he heard incorrectly once more. "He's what?"

Vey nodded slightly. "He thinks no one knows, but everyone does. He hoards cake and lies about it."

"Okay… Anyone else acting strange?"

"Well, now that you mention it, that girl Anais has been acting a little weird. She's normally socially awkward, but when you talk about science, she's very friendly and talkative. However, lately, she just talks to herself and looks a little sad. I just figured she got some bad news or something. It's probably nothing."

_Finally, a lead,_ Rob thought, albeit with apprehension, as this could lead towards a conclusion neither he nor Vlad would be pleased with.

"How is she acting weird?" the cyclops asked.

"She's researching pests, but she's been spending a lot more time in her basement than out in the field."

"What's she doing down there?"

"No idea. I didn't ask, and she didn't tell. I don't like to pry."

"Has she said anything?"

The soldier sighed. "Not to me. She's been talking to herself a lot, though. I've caught a few snatches of it, something about hoping her friend made it. Not sure what she meant."

This also confused Rob. "What do you think she's up to?"

Vey shrugged. "She's probably just doing some delicate experiments or something. I've never really understood her research. Pests should be destroyed, it's as simple as that."

Rob rubbed his chin, letting the soldier's statement sink in for a moment before he continued with another question. "Have you heard anything about pests escaping?"

"No, it'd be pretty difficult to do. As far as I know, they can't swim, so they'd have to get back on one of our ghost ships. But who would want to? The pests want to destroy us, it'd be madness to release one."

Rob cleared his throat and asked, "But you _do_ have access to the pests and could have smuggled them out."

Vey snapped towards Rob, a look of utter bewilderment on his features. "And risk everything? What's wrong with you? We're here to _stop_ pests invading. Suggesting anything else is just insulting."

Rob grimaced, mentally berating himself. "Um, sorry. That's all, thanks."

He quickly left the scene and searched for someone else to interview. He took a deep breath.

"This is gonna be a _long_ freaking day…"

* * *

Rob sighed. He felt like he was getting nowhere. He had interviewed several people, and learned many useless facts about the residents of the island, including a hardworking soldier training hard for a promotion and earning money for a gift for his girlfriend but not having enough time for her in the process, causing her to seek solace in the soldier's best friend, whose mother keeps him in the house for fear of dying to pests like her husband. There were also two sisters who felt suspicious of each other, and Rob learned that one of them had stolen money from the other, though she insisted she'd pay it back.

A glimmer of hope was born in Rob's exhausted spirit, however, as he found a certain someone previously mentioned by Vey.

"Could I ask you a few questions?" Rob asked, having approached within talking distance. "I'm investigating reports of a pest escaping to Elmore. Have you seen anyone acting suspiciously?"

A small pink bunny, whom Rob could barely recall as Gumball's little sister, looked up at him in surprise, jumping slightly.

"A pest escaped?" Anais inquired in apparent incredulity. "Wow. Um, no one's been acting strangely." She put a paw on her chin. "Well, I haven't been spending much time with everyone else lately so I wouldn't really know. My research has been… time consuming." She narrowed her eyes and looked off into the distance. "Actually, Sam has been pretty weird. Don't talk to him about cake. I wouldn't say he was acting suspiciously, though."

Rob felt a red flag go up in his mind. He asked, "Why haven't you been spending time with anyone else?"

"I've been very busy," Anais calmly replied. "Much of my work takes place in the basement, so I don't see very many people. Not that I'd want to, I prefer the peace and quiet of solitude — especially when the rest of the week you have to spend time with _my _family."

Rob chuckled. "I believe you there. Why do you work in the basement, though? I thought Valluta work out in the field stopping pests? I'm also pretty sure you're way too young to be doing any of that."

"That's because I'm not part of the Valluta," Anais answered. "I'm… a scientist? Yeah, let's go with that: scientist from an institute called Outland Industries. I'm doing research on the magic pests use to create portals." Her eyes seemed to light up in fascination. "They're really very advanced creatures. I think with a bit of work we could stop fighting and make peace."

Rob recalled accounts of encounters with the Void creatures in the book of the Valluta. "The—They're pests. They're trying to invade our world and destroy it. I don't think there's peace on the horizon."

Anais looked insulted. "You don't know _anything _about them! They're highly intelligent and can feel emotions!"

Rob seemed to shrink back in fear despite his huge height advantage over the small rabbit. "Okay, sorry, jeez. Well, have you heard anything about pests escaping?"

"No!" Anais immediately replied, her anger completely displaced by what seemed like worry. "I haven't heard anything like that. Have other people heard that?"

"Well, obviously they have, or I wouldn't be asking." Rob narrowed his eye at her. "Do you have access to the pests?"

"I'm allowed onto the battlefield for research. I've seen them up close. They're quite impressive creatures."

"But you don't take part in the battles? You just observe."

"That's right. I don't like killing things, pests or otherwise."

Something began to click in Rob's mind. This case was almost solved, but he didn't like the outcome.

He nodded at Anais. "Okay. That's all, thanks."

The cyclops left and sought out one last person — unlikely to be the suspect, but still worthy of an inquiry — just to be sure.

* * *

"Hi," Rob said.

"Hi," a man wearing a black bandanna over his head replied.

"Could I ask you a few ques—"

"I don't have any cake!" Sam yelled, making Rob jump.

"...What?" Rob asked.

"Oh. You weren't talking about that," Sam said. "Please continue."

Rob stared at him for a moment. "Um, I'm investigating the escape of a pest onto the mainland. Have you noticed anyone—"

"Eating cake?" Sam asked. "No. No one has been eating cake. I swear."

Rob narrowed his eye. "Right. I'm really not here about cake. I need to know if anyone has been acting suspiciously."

"They're all acting suspiciously!" Sam raved. "They all want my cake! Not that I have any cake. I swear. You're not getting any!"

Rob took a huge step backwards. "I'm going to put that down as a 'no,' then."

He turned and walked off, exhaling a long drawn out breath. "I think that's everyone. I should report back to the captain."

* * *

"Captain Perior."

"Hello, Rob. Making progress with your investigation?"

Rob nodded. "I've spoken to everyone, I think."

Perior smiled at him. "Well done. Tell me what you've found and we can decide if any of it is worth following up."

Rob cleared his throat, then summarily recounted all of his interviews quickly and concisely without leaving out important details.

The captain nodded, pleased with the cyclops' work. "Very thoroughly done. I think you may be on to something, but I don't want to interfere. You should think about everything you've heard and see if anyone stands out as a likely candidate. It would be someone who has access to pests and has a motive for wanting to release one. If you think you have a candidate, confront that person to see what they say. They may confirm your suspicions. Then, I think you'll be ready to report back to Commodore Tendeth."

"Alright then," Rob replied, before he walked off, seeking out his prime suspect.

* * *

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to report you to Captain Perior," Rob announced as he walked up behind his suspect.

Anais flipped around in surprise. "W-what?! But I didn't do anything wrong!"

Rob crossed his arms. "You let a pest escape to the mainland."

"No, I didn't!" Anais yelled, then caught herself and said, "Uh, I mean… You have no proof! And escape is a subjective term! What if it was more like… freeing?"

Rob sighed. "I think I'll present my findings to the captain."

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Anais repeated desperately as Rob walked away.

* * *

"Sir Perior," Rob called, before he suddenly realized something. "Wait," he quietly said to himself. "_Superior?_ Come on!"

"Yes?" the captain said.

Rob pushed his frustration aside and regarded Perior with a look of determination. "I've confronted Anais about releasing a pest. Her denial was weak, and I think she may know something even if she didn't do it herself."

The captain nodded. "Hmm, interesting, that was the conclusion I came to as well. Her reaction does seem telling. You must report this to the Commodore. He will want to investigate this matter further himself. Speaking of whom… Sir!"

Perior saluted as Commodore Tendeth exited his office.

Rob sighed internally. _Certain death. Of course. _

"There's been an attack at one of our forward bases," Tendeth said.

Perior's eyes went wide. "Already? But we have almost no soldiers available to handle it right now!"

The commodore sighed. "I know. Which is why I'm coming along to deal with it myself. Gear up, we need as many people as we can find."

"Yes, sir." Perior saluted again, before leaving to gather troops.

A familiar face appeared, surprising Rob.

"The lander is ready, sir!" a girl said. She had orange hair covering her eyes and two horns sticking out of the sides of her head. She held a menacing curved sword in her hand and was clad in the black-white armor of the Valluta, and a single white stripe on her pauldron indicated the rank of commander.

Tendeth smiled at her. "Excellent work, Jamie. Make preparations to leave at once."

Rob flinched as Jamie Russo snapped towards him.

_Please don't recognize me, please don't recognize me, please don't—_

"Hey, I recognize you!" Jamie shouted.

Rob cursed himself quietly.

"What's he doing here!?" Jamie asked Tendeth.

"You know each other?" the commodore asked.

Jamie replied, "I don't remember a lot, but I know that face. What's his story?"

Tendeth looked at Rob, making the cyclops shrink in fear.

"Vlad sent him," Tendeth explained. "Apparently reports of an escaped pest have reached that old ghost's ears, and he wants to know if it came from here, of all places."

Jamie growled, gripping her sword tightly. Rob felt like he was about to be decapitated in the next few seconds, but Jamie simply yelled at him.

She pointed her sword at the cyclops. "I don't care if old ghosty knows you! _You're_ an _outsider!_ Why should we trust _you!?_ Maybe _you're _the one who wants to set pests free!"

With every word she yelled, she thrust the sword at Rob, making him lean backwards repeatedly.

The cyclops stared at her, trying hard not to flee for his life. "I didn't even know this place existed two days ago, let alone this pest war! I want nothing to do with this, Vlad just said this was going to be a simple task and then he'd let me stay at his house!"

There was a moment of tense silence.

Rob exhaled in relief when Jamie lowered her sword. He gulped at what she said next, however.

"Okay. Prove it," Jamie said, a challenging tone in her voice. "Prove to me that we can trust you."

"H—how am I supposed to do that?" Rob asked.

Jamie and Tendeth looked off towards the beach. Rob followed their gaze and saw a wooden ship fitted with a ramp at the front. A lander, not unlike LCVP boats used during amphibious landings in the military.

A soldier by the lander's gangplank yelled, "Come on, we need more!"

Jamie then glanced at Rob. She had a bone-chilling grin, an expression that immediately made the cyclops go through the five stages of grief in less than a second. He knew what she was thinking and he prayed for a way out of this mess.

_Please don't involve me please don't involve me please don't involve—_

"How about you come with us to kill some pests?" Jamie muttered.

_Gosh darn it!_ Rob screamed mentally.

"Rob," Tendeth said, genuine guilt in his voice and a trace of shame in his eyes. "I hate to ask, but since you are technically part of the Valluta now… we could use your help in repelling the pest attack."

Rob gave him a look of utter disbelief. "Wha—but I don't know how to fight! I only went here to investigate, not get involved in a war!"

Tendeth sighed, expecting such an answer. "I know. But consider this. If those pests break through, then you, and everyone back on the mainland… We're all as good as dead."

Rob sighed and bowed his head.

The commodore continued, "I won't blame you for staying out of this, but we need all the help we can get. Our more experienced soldiers have not yet returned, and I am extremely short on able-bodied fighters. It doesn't sit well with me letting children fight with us, trust me, it doesn't… but we are desperate. Meet us at the lander by the beach if you wish to help. Otherwise, I will talk to you later, _if _we make it back."

With that, Tendeth departed for the beach.

Jamie once again pointed her sword at Rob, making him flinch.

"If you don't come with us, I'll get you off this island and take care of you myself," she spat before she trudged off.

Rob gulped, certain that whatever lay ahead for him at her hands would be infinitely worse than what the pests could possibly do to him.

He clenched his fists and jaw.

"Oh, darn it all! Why do people keep giving me life-threatening dilemmas!?"

* * *

The Commodore smiled. "So glad you could join us, Rob."

Rob sighed. "Just give me the safest job."

He yelped as Jamie grabbed his arm in a steel grip.

"Oh no," she said. "You stick with me. Don't want you smuggling pests, now, do we?"

Rob groaned in frustration. "If I spend any more time around you, I'd prefer the pests tear me apart."

"That makes two of us," Jamie huffed.

"Clear the ramp!" a Valluta soldier yelled. "Thirty seconds!"

Rob stood on his toes, trying to get a better look at whatever area they were about to land on. He saw a white stone square platform, surrounded by wooden towers and fortifications. Farther still, in the distance, were soldiers locked in combat.

It was then that Rob saw the pests.

They ranged from huge hulking beasts to small, agile and nimble creatures. Rob gulped and mentally began writing a last will and testament.

The lander was rocked violently, almost throwing the cyclops to the floor, and the ramp came down. The few soldiers that came along charged into battle along with Jamie and Tendeth, leaving Rob in the empty ship.

Commodore Tendeth raced to the top of the white stone platform and raised his weapon into the air, conjuring up a powerful magical spell and creating a huge pillar of light shooting up from his position. Rob stared at him in awe, and he would have thought the sight incredible if he wasn't already gripped with fear for his life.

Flashes of purple blinded Rob, and he opened his eye to see three green creatures surrounding the commodore. Each void pest had four, long, spindly legs and two vicious arm-blades like that of a mantis, and long curved heads with what looked like visors. Shifters, named for their ability to make their own portals and teleport short distances. Tendeth spun around and cut down all three of the pests, but more pests charged in to fight.

One of the huge wooden double doors lining the perimeter exploded like it was blown up by plastic C4 explosive, delivering a shockwave that washed over the entire battlefield and almost knocking Rob off his feet.

"Hey!" he heard Jamie yell. He searched for her within the chaos and saw her staring at him, fuming. She was effortlessly fighting a pest with her sword as she threw dagger looks at the cyclops.

"GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!" she screamed with a voice as loud as the explosion as she pointed at her feet with her free hand, jolting Rob and making him run into the fray out of pure fear.

He saw something out of the corner of his eye, and before he could realize it, his body already reacted out of reflex, ducking down as huge bone barbs came flying over him, embedding deep into the ground. He continued to run, keeping his body low and covering his head with his hands.

Terror coursed through his veins as distant explosions shook the ground. "Oh, this is crazy! I didn't sign up for this!"

He skidded to a stop when another set of double doors literally _flew_ from their hinges, carving tunnels into the ground around him.

Rob felt paralyzed as he watched a hulking pest stomp its way through the breach. "Holy…"

The pest, aptly nicknamed the brawler, was a light green gorilla-like creature, but instead of a head it possessed a translucent trunk like that of an elephant. The brawler roared and charged towards Rob, who simply closed his eye and braced himself.

The ground shuddered and the sound of something scraping against dirt filled the air, but Rob remained unharmed. He slowly opened his eye and saw the pest dead at his feet. He looked up and saw Jamie pulling her weapon from the carcass.

She jumped down, not a trace of fatigue apparent on her features. She startled Rob by throwing an extra sword at him, impaling it in the soil by his feet.

"Alright. You _definitely_ couldn't have smuggled a pest into Elmore," she muttered, a smirk on her face. "That was the most pathetic, cowardly display I'd ever seen. I don't know how you did it, but you managed to look worse than the Wattersons trying to fight Tina."

Rob gritted his teeth. "Sh—Shut up!"

"Look, if you can't deal with these _losers_," Jamie said, hiking a thumb over her shoulder, "then you can help out by fixing everything broken."

A thunderous noise erupted across the battlefield. Rob saw blasts of energy flowing through the clouds like shockwaves, then looked back and saw them emanating from Tendeth.

"The south-western portal shield is down!" the Commodore yelled.

Jamie grinned evilly. "Oh yeah. I'm gonna enjoy this." With a twirl of her sword, she charged out into battle, yelling at the top of her lungs.

Rob sighed, staring at the sword sticking out of the ground beside him. He took hold of the hilt and grunted as he tried to pull it out. He stood up and prepared for a second, more aggressive attempt before he noticed something approaching.

Adrenaline surged through Rob. He frantically pulled at the weapon in the dirt as a short humanoid creature, akin to a mole with oversized claws and red eyes, began tearing at the wooden barricades that served as the Valluta's last line of defence against the pests.

Rob finally pulled the sword free and faced the pest, which seemed not to notice him. Its huge claws ripped through the wood like paper, and as the walls collapsed, Rob saw a horde of pests appear through a large purple portal in the distance.

He gulped, but the sight of the impending swarm somehow instilled him with newfound courage. He was tired of being scared. He was tired of being unable to make any difference.

Despite having no knowledge of combat whatsoever, Rob raised his sword and charged with a powerful yell.

The ravager ceased its labors of destruction and brought its claws up to parry Rob's strike. The cyclops responded with a kick, knocking the pest to the ground. It rolled to the side to avoid being impaled then swiped with its claws.

Rob blocked with his sword and was sent backwards, his disfigured feet digging ruts into the ground. He lunged again, this time managing to pierce the blade through the gaps in between the pest's claws. A few moments passed, during which Rob just gulped in much needed air, before the ravager dropped to the ground, dead.

Sitting down and wiping the sweat off his head, Rob smirked and clenched his fist. "Aw, yeah! I did it!"

His expression was quickly wiped when he looked up and remembered the swarm coming his way. Despair and resignation filled his being, and he didn't even have the will to get up.

But then he felt a magical aura surrounding him. He looked around and saw Valluta soldiers raising their weapons in the air. Rob watched with awe as wood chips and fragments reformed, and their defensive barriers and gates were rebuilt within seconds.

The Commodore, charged with energy, slammed his weapon's pommel on the ground, and a bolt of electricity came down from the sky, struck his mace and then reached out like lightning, frying every pest within the vicinity.

"Fire!" Tendeth shouted.

Soldiers within the watchtowers, no longer being harassed by shifters, simultaneously attacked the oncoming horde, thinning their numbers with enchanted ammunition and magical spells.

Rob heard Jamie's unmistakable voice within the chaos, unleashing another vicious warcry as she tore through the pests like a torpedo in a flood.

"Go, Rob!" Tendeth yelled. "That's the last portal! Help Jamie take it down!"

Rob turned towards the portal in the distance. He watched as Jamie charged towards it, an army of pests in her way. She smashed a creature's face in with a small shield attached to her left arm as she barged into the horde, then put her sword to excellent use. The way she fought, the way she seemed to effortlessly cut down their numbers told Rob that she wasn't just rushing forwards with reckless abandon. It was not mere blind rage, but _courage_, and this instilled inspiration in the young cyclops.

He gripped his sword tightly, and joined the other soldiers as they charged towards the final portal on the island.

But then more shifters appeared, depositing a line of brawlers in front of the Valluta, a wall of muscle and rage that refused to break.

"Shoot the splatters!" Jamie yelled, confusing Rob.

Arrows flew overhead, raining down on the swarm. Rob's gaze followed the barrage as they pierced strange creatures that looked like translucent sacs of fluid, detonating them like bombs, starting a massive chain reaction that cascaded into a huge explosion, wiping out the entire horde and the portal in the middle of it.

The shockwaves threw Rob off his feet as easily as the first explosion did.

He groaned and remained on the ground, content to stay there until the pain went away.

Shadows engulfed him, but he was hurting too much to care.

"Well done, Rob," Commodore Tendeth said. "You've certainly proven yourself to the Valluta today."

Jamie crossed her arms. "Eh, he's not dead. Good enough."

"Can we go home now?" Rob asked.

Tendeth gave Jamie an approving look. "Yes, I believe you've earned a good meal after that. Let's head back to the outpost."

* * *

Rob took a deep breath. After conversing with the captain one last time, he approached Tendeth to present his findings.

"Commodore, I think I've made a breakthrough, and Captain Perior agrees," Rob declared. "I've investigated everyone on the island and the only one with access to the pests and also may have a motive for releasing one is Anais, the researcher."

Tendeth's forehead furrowed. "That harmless girl? I can't believe it. Still, if Perior thinks so too, then I'd better speak with her."

Jamie crossed her arms. "I hope you know that you're accusing my friend, because I'm going to enjoy beating the static out of you when you prove yourself wrong."

Rob gulped again, but this time he suddenly found confidence in the midst of his threatening host.

"We'll see about that," he said, leading the way to his suspect.

* * *

"Anais," Tendeth said, gently but firmly. "Please cooperate. I gave you permission to research here on the understanding that you would obey all of our rules. If a pest is loose on the mainland, we need all the information we can get." He raised his hands slowly and calmly. "I am not accusing you of releasing a pest, I simply need to follow up any leads. Rob feels you may know something."

"But I don't, I already told you!" Anais replied. She looked even tinier surrounded by Valluta soldiers in the Commodore's office. She continued, "You've been very kind to me and I would never do anything to endanger anyone."

"Yes," Rob said, raising a distorted finger. "But you don't consider pests to be as big of a threat as the rest of us. You might feel letting a pest go is harmless."

"That's enough," the Commodore declared. "I'm afraid, Anais, we must take more drastic measures to find the truth, to be certain you have nothing to hide. Now, my good friend Vlad has offered us so much to help us against the pests, and over the years he has provided us with a large assortment of potions. One such potion lets the drinker enter the mind of another person.

Anais's pupils shrunk. "That's invasive! I don't want someone in my head. I've told you everything!"

"I'm sorry, Anais," Tendeth replied, genuine sadness in his tone. "But the danger of a pest on the mainland calls for extraordinary measures. I insist that you do this, else all of your research will be confiscated and you and any other researchers from Outland will be banned from these islands. Will you consent?"

The rabbit girl looked like the air had just been punched out of her. She stared blankly for a few moments, and looking at her made Rob feel hollow, though it didn't persist once he reminded himself of what was at stake.

Anais sighed. "My research is important. I don't want to lose it. I'll consent."

The Commodore nodded. "Very good."

Jamie stepped forward. "Let me do it! If anyone knows her, it's me."

Tendeth shook his head. "To maintain balance, I want someone relatively unrelated to Anais or the Valluta to enter her mind, so they will be unbiased to her thoughts about pests." He turned to the cyclops. "Rob, are you willing to enter Anais's mind and find out the truth?"

Rob winced slightly. "I'm not going to see anything _too_ personal, am I?"

Tendeth replied, "If you focus only on pests, it should show you what she has been doing with them."

Rob gulped, feeling Jamie's boring gaze drilling into his forehead.

"I will not proceed with this line of enquiry if you do not agree to it," Tendeth added.

The cyclops sighed. "Alright. I'll do it.".

"That is very good, Rob." Tendeth said. "I'm sure this will all turn out well. Anais has a good heart, and I'm sure this is all a simple misunderstanding."

"What will I need to do?"

"Drink the potion and focus on the memories you want to access. On entering Anais's mind, you will see those memories and be able to determine if she _did_ release a pest on to the mainland or not. Jamie, please give some of the potion to Rob. We shall begin immediately."

Jamie grumbled, and slowly retrieved the potion from a nearby chest. She handed it to Rob, but before he was able to take it, she quickly withdrew her hand.

"If you do _anything_ creepy, I'll—"

"Yeah, yeah, you'll kill me, I know," Rob said.

Jamie stared at him for a moment, a low growl audible from her throat, before she finally gave the potion to him.

Rob studied the vial. The liquid within it looked vibrant, like the surface of a bubble in the sun. He took a deep breath. "Alright. Here goes…"

He took a sip of the potion, and he felt Jamie take the vial back as his vision went black. He blinked several times until he finally saw something.

Familiar faces filled his vision.

_Ugh, Gumball, _Rob thought. _Okay, focus on pests, focus on pests, focus… on… _

Some of Anais's memories bled through to Rob, mostly involving outrageous antics with her family.

At first, Rob felt annoyance. He wanted nothing to do with the people who encouraged him to take up a villain role just so they could be the good guys, the heroes.

At first, Rob felt anger. _They _forgot him. It was _their_ fault he was considered boring. It was _their_ fault he was sent to the Void.

But all this was suddenly superseded by a new feeling. A feeling Rob had never felt before — or never recalled experiencing before.

The sensations took him by surprise, swept him off his feet, plunged him down a deep pit and overwhelmed him with so many thoughts and emotions it nearly shook him loose from his bearings.

Rob felt a warmth in his heart so detached and foreign from his daily life he could not comprehend it. It was a warmth and comfort, an embrace that welcomed him, a sensation that, he realized, could only be provided by—

_Friends. _

_Family. _

_Loved ones. _

Rob wondered how he had lived for so long as he had and gone through so much as he had without the sensations he was now experiencing through someone else's memories.

He had never been a part of anything until today. He had never been needed until today. And he had never felt like he had _belonged_, until this very moment.

But when that word—_memories_—was thrown into the stream of his consciousness, he remembered that these feelings and sensations were not his. He was a spectator. An intruder.

His thoughts, against his will, drifted away from the memories and experiences he so longed to have for his own. He was ripped away when his mind recalled what he was really here for.

The joyous laughter shared by Anais's family that filled Rob's ears was no longer comforting. It was cold and cruel.

He almost wept.

A dark environment greeted Rob. He seemed to be standing on a large, irregularly-shaped white platform. Similar platforms drifted around him, floating in a black void, like strange clouds in deep space. Specks of light dotted the expanse.

Rob shut his eye tightly, a single teardrop running down his face. He drew a long, shuddering breath as he tried to regain his composure and focus on his objective. He told himself that one day, he'd make his own memories worth cherishing. One day he would know what it was like to feel that warmth and comfort and sheer intoxicating _love_ in his life.

But that would come later.

Now, he had a job to do.

Rob opened his eye and saw a strange picture on the ground in front of him. It was a distorted depiction of a void pest, one he had not encountered before.

"This… looks like a slider puzzle," he said to himself, noting the evenly-cut segments on the image of the pest, like a grid.

"Well, that's a memory alright, but she's trying really hard to obscure it. I guess I'll have to unscramble it to find out what the memory means."

Having become proficient at puzzles from solving them on discarded newspapers out of sheer boredom, Rob was easily able to unscramble the grid, and he found himself looking at a proper image.

A voice spoke in his mind. A familiar one, belonging to none other than Anais.

"I hope he made it to the mainland okay," she said. "He was so weak… Professor Melville said he'd look after him; I'm sure he's fine…"

Rob's vision slowly began to fill with white, and when he blinked he found himself back in the Commodore's office.

"What did you find out, Rob?" Tendeth asked.

"You looked like you were about to cry at one point," Perior added. "What happened?"

Rob shook his head, feeling a bit dizzy. He took a look around to get his bearings, then focused on the Commodore.

"I'm sorry, Commodore," Rob said. "Anais _did_ release a pest. I unscrambled the memory, saw an image of the pest and heard her thoughts about it. I think it's conclusive."

Anais bowed her head slightly.

"No!" Jamie yelled. "That can't be! How could she have done it?"

Rob replied, "I don't know. I only saw an impression of the memory, no details."

Jamie stepped towards him, and he braced himself to get a mouthful of broken teeth, but she suddenly turned her attention towards Anais, who gasped and recoiled in fear.

"How did you do it?" Jamie questioned. "How COULD you do it? Has being with us here taught you nothing!?"

Anais stared at her, trembling, working up the nerve to reply. "I was studying it in the basement. I taught it, him, to remove himself from the hive mind. Once he managed that, he was his own creature. He could think and feel and wasn't a threat!" She gathered up all the courage she could muster and clenched her paws into fists, standing up to Jamie and trying her best to hide her fear.

Anais gulped, but then an intense fire lit up in her eyes. "Being among the Valluta has taught me that while you may seek balance, you only see things in black and white. You would have killed him! So, I smuggled him out. I'm sorry I hurt you, but I don't regret it. It was the right thing to do."

Silence passed.

The burning resolve in Anais went out and quickly died when the Commodore yelled in rage.

"Enough!" Tendeth said. He took a deep breath and controlled himself. "Anais, I hereby sentence you to house arrest on the outpost until other arrangements can be made. You have put us _all_ at risk, and I will not hear your excuses. Jamie, escort Anais back to her dwellings, confiscate her research and have her guarded. Meet back here and we'll decide what to do next."

"Commodore, please!" Anais begged. "Just listen..."

"No."

Jamie quickly took Anais by the hand and stormed outside.

Rob watched them leave and gulped. "Jeez…"

Tendeth said, "Rob, I must apologize for not cooperating with you more. I'm grateful for the work you have done on this. A pest loose on the mainland is what we have always fought against. I'm afraid dark times are ahead, and that your work is only beginning." He turned towards the other Valluta. "Captain Perior, please bring the highest ranked soldiers here. We need to discuss our plans."

The captain nodded. "Yes, sir."

* * *

"Our worst nightmare is upon us," Commodore Tendeth said. "A pest has made it to the mainland. We need to make a plan of action and act immediately to prevent any further damage the pest may cause. Suggestions?"

Captain Perior placed his hands on the table. "It will be no easy feat, but I think the best course of action is to take a contingent to the mainland and track down the beast. There's no telling how far it may have gotten, but a small force will minimize panic and will be able to cover more ground quickly. It will also not leave our post here unmanned."

Tendeth nodded. "A good suggestion, Perior. I agree that it is the best course of action. What sort of hunting strategies will work best on the mainland?"

Jamie stepped forward. "Maybe we can use Anais to track it, sir. She's been studying them. Maybe we can get her to help if we promise we won't hurt it."

The Commodore narrowed his eyes as he thought about it for a moment. "No. It is because of her actions that we are in this mess. We'll keep her on the outpost until the pest is caught and dealt with. Then I will have time to consider what we should do with her."

Jamie bowed her head and weakly responded, "Yes, sir."

"Any other thoughts for tracking the pest?" Tendeth asked.

"Sir, what about the Valluta?" Vey said. "I don't mean us, I mean _the_ Valluta. I've heard some of the older soldiers telling tales of it. They said it was able to destroy pests on sight, like squashing a bug with your toe. That'd be a handy weapon to have while hunting the pest."

Tendeth stared in disbelief, mouth slightly ajar. "Do you believe _every_ fairy tale you've ever heard? The Valluta is just a dream old soldiers have so that one day we may lay down our arms. It's not real!" He shook his head and waved his hands through the air. "We're not getting anywhere. We'll discuss tracking once we've reached the mainland and can better assess the situation. I will lead the expedition as it was my foolish decision to let outsiders study the pests. Jamie and a select few will accompany me. Captain Perior: you're in charge while I'm away. Rob, you will go ahead of our landing party and update Vlad on recent events. Speak to me after this meeting if you have any questions. Seek balance, everyone."

With the meeting adjourned, Rob approached the Commodore.

"What was that Valluta thing that was mentioned?" the cyclops asked.

Tendeth sighed. "Oh, that old wives' tale. Some of the older soldiers tell of a weapon that can destroy all pests, or stop them, or stop portals. Depends who's telling the tale. I think several generations ago some of them tried searching for the weapon, but it came to nothing because it's not real. It's a myth that puts into words our wish to end the battle with the pests. We carry a heavy burden, but we carry it because we must."

Rob nodded, a little intimidated by the Commodore's words. "How do you plan on tracking the pest?"

"I was hoping you could help us. Your knowledge of the mainland is far greater than ours. It won't be an easy task, but pests leave signs of their presence and you mainland folk aren't accustomed to their appearance. It won't be able to hide anywhere for long."

"Hm… Alright then," Rob said.

"You should get going. We still have a lot of preparation to do before we leave. It's vital you get back quickly and bring Vlad up to date. Don't worry, once you've done that, we'll have arrived and the hunt shall begin," Tendeth declared with a smile.

Rob nodded again. "Okay. I'll be on my way."

* * *

A warm smile greeted Rob as he made his way back to the Krueger household. The cyclops sighed in relief and wore a smile himself. _Man. A friendly face and a place to lay my head every night. I could get used to this._

"Good day, Rob," Vlad said. "Reporting back about the pest sightings?"

Rob's mood immediately soured. He bowed his head slightly. "Yes, sir. It appears a pest is loose. A small contingent of Valluta is coming over to hunt it down. I'm to meet them at the port, but sir Tendeth wanted your support."

Vlad's smile remained, but a look of determination came over his ghostly features. "And he shall have it! Let's go meet that ship, Rob. You can tell me all the details en route."

* * *

A Valluta soldier stood at the docks, exhausted and battered.

"Jamie!" Rob yelled. "What's wrong? Where is everyone else?"

Jamie struggled to stay upright. "Nggghhhh…"

"You there!" Vlad yelled, pointing at a ghost nearby, the one in charge of transporting Valluta to the outpost.

"Did you see what happened?" Vlad asked.

"She just appeared out of nowhere," the ghost replied. "I think it was a teleport of some kind."

"No ship has arrived with a contingent of Valluta?"

"No, sir! I've seen no Valluta ships today."

"Uuuuugh," Jamie muttered. "Where am I? What happened?"

Vlad narrowed his eyes. "Something's afoot. Let's get her out of the open. We need to find out what happened."

After a quick look around, Vlad and Rob and led Jamie back towards the Krueger household, making sure no one would see them.

* * *

"Jamie, what happened?" Rob asked.

"I don't remember," she replied. "We set sail from the outpost and then… I was on the docks and you were there."

"How did you end up there?"

"I don't know. I'm not soaked, so I guess I didn't swim all the way. I'm not good at magic either, so I couldn't have teleported myself. I just can't remember."

Vlad shook his head. "It's no good, Rob. Those memories are locked away, and questioning her won't get them out."

Rob snapped his fingers. "That's it! Her memories are locked away, just like Anais's were. I can go into her mind and unlock them, then we'll find out what happened. Do you still have some of that potion, Jamie?"

Jamie checked her pockets. "I think so… Yeah, here it is."

Vlad stared at the vial with fascination. "Is that one of my old potions that you mentioned earlier, Rob? The one that lets you enter somebody's head?"

Rob nodded.

"Huh. I don't remember making that," Vlad muttered, rubbing his beard. "Very handy… and also highly dangerous and destructive in the wrong hands. Definitely something I'd make."

"Any chance you can teach me how?" Carrie asked with a large grin.

Vlad smiled back. "No."

Rob added, "It's… unorthodox. But we have no other options." He turned to Jamie. "Are you ready?"

Jamie nodded. "But if you—"

"Or you'll kill me, yeah, I know. Do we have to go through this song and dance every time?"

Jamie growled but gestured for him to continue.

Taking another deep breath, Rob tilted his head backwards and took another swig of the potion.

He braced himself, expecting to be sucker punched by the torrent of emotion he had felt before, but it did not come.

Rob opened his eye and saw two platforms connected by a "bridge," consisting of countless floating shards of unknown material. Toll gates stood at each end of the bridge.

"What is this?" Rob asked. "This isn't like last time."

A voice boomed across the mindscape.

_**No two minds are alike. Ask and you shall know. **_

Rob approached the toll booth, the source of the voice. He saw no one inside, but asked a question nonetheless.

"What's going on?"

_**Something terrible has happened to Jamie and this memory has been scrambled. You will have to restore the memories to their rightful places and learn what happened. **_

Rob narrowed his eye for a moment then shook his head. "Okay, what do I need to do?"

_**You must help the Valluta cross the bridge. **_

As the voice said this, soldiers materialized beside Rob. He recognized them as the ones that made up the hunting party.

_**The bridge is only strong enough to allow two people to cross at a time, and pests threaten those who cross. You hold the only sword. Whoever crosses must have the sword. **_

Before Rob could ask, he felt something in his hand and sure enough, it was a translucent sword.

_**The Valluta are made up of memories. The longer Jamie has known them, the more they "weigh" upon the bridge. The toll paid is equal to that of the heaviest memory crossing the bridge — go over 15 and the bridge will collapse, and you will have to start over. **_

"Wait, what?" Rob asked. "This is another puzzle! I'm not playing a game here!"

_**You are a recent memory, so your weight is equivalent to only one. **_

Rob sighed. "So it's going to be like that, huh?"

_**My brother sits on the other side, also awaiting requests. **_

"I didn't ask. Is this really necessary?"

The soldiers beside Rob lined up and spoke sequentially.

"My weight in memories is two."

"My weight in memories is five."

"My weight in memories is eight."

Rob wiped his face with his hand. "Oh my—you're all just going to ignore me until I do this, aren't you?"

A few moments of silence made Rob sigh again. "Yep. Of course. _Fine._ I'll play along with your stupid puzzle."

* * *

Rob screamed, but he opened his eye and found himself back on solid ground. The soldiers were beside him once more.

_**You have placed too great a toll on Jamie's memory and must start over. **_

Rob growled. "I'm not good at math, okay!? Gosh darn it, this is dumb!"

* * *

_**You have successfully gotten everyone across the bridge. **_

Rob pumped his fist. "YEAH! I did it! That only took…" He pondered for a moment, then bowed his head and muttered, "four attempts. Whatever. I still did it."

_**You have shepherded the memories here. Now you must untangle them. **_

"What? There's _more? _Oh, please don't be another puzzle."

_**Each "person" remembers a few facts. Listen to what they know, then assign each of them a place on the ship, what they were thinking about, and what they saw. Only then will the truth be revealed. **_

Rob stared, mouth agape, before he growled and started yelling and stomping. "Are you _serious!? _Of course it's another _freaking _puzzle!"

A soldier approached Rob, one of five. It was a memory version of Jamie, her fellow Valluta behind her.

She said, "Vey saw the seaweed while he was on watch in the crow's nest, and he wasn't thinking about a promotion or his sister."

Rob spread his arms to the sky, screaming in rage.

"RAAGHHH! WHY!? JUST LET ME SKIP THIS GOSH DARN—"

* * *

After an indeterminate amount of time, Rob managed to untangle the memory using his critical thinking skills, though it was mostly by trial and error.

Rob sobbed into his hands. "This. Is the longest. Day. _Ever."_

He snapped his head up when he heard Jamie, and saw that the memory was now replaying for him. Jamie was in the ship's hold, alone.

Rob heard shouting and weapons clashing.

"What's going on up there?" Jamie asked.

A red sphere appeared in the air, and in its place, a creature that looked like a snake with bat wings materialized.

"What the?" Jamie said. "A pest?"

The torcher's mouth erupted with flames before it launched a projectile towards Jamie.

She charged forwards with a roll, dodging the ball of fire, then jumped, orienting herself horizontally as she spun through the air. The pest flew back, narrowly evading her, but she threw the sword as she landed, impaling the pest and pinning it to the ship's hull.

Despite this, it shot another fireball at her.

She sidestepped it and sprinted towards her target, dodging a second attack before she pulled out her weapon and cut down the pest for good with a powerful swipe of her sword.

She rushed up the ladder, a sudden and eerie silence having overtaken the ship.

The sight she beheld dropped her jaw and made Rob gasp and cover his mouth.

Valluta soldiers lay motionless across the ship, now badly damaged and flaming.

"Commodore!" Jamie yelled. "They're all dead! Commodore?"

She sprinted towards the helm, where she heard more sounds of battle. She climbed up and saw Tendeth fighting a robed figure.

"Conmodore!" she yelled.

"Jamie!" Tendeth shouted. "Get away! Get to shore, NOW!"

The stranger's hands glowed. "Die! Die!"

Two bolts of fire struck Tendeth, sending him to the floor where he lay unmoving.

The figure turned towards Jamie. "Your turn, girl."

Jamie gritted her teeth and twirled the sword in her hand. "BRING IT ON! YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

Tendeth pushed himself up. "Noooo…"

Jamie charged towards the figure as bolts of fire were shot towards her. She raised her shield to bear and leaned into it, for the projectiles were much too fast to dodge.

The first hit made her stumble backwards.

The second knocked her into the air.

She hit the deck hard, and before she could get up, the robed figure was above her, already casting another deadly spell.

The last thing she saw before the blinding glow and searing heat was Tendeth raising his hand towards her, a magical glow surrounding his arm.

It was also the last thing Rob saw before he opened his eye and saw himself back in the Krueger household.

He realized he was holding his breath and exhaled slowly, his body trembling.

"Everyone's dead," he breathed.

Jamie's head was bowed, her cheeks glinting and wet with tears. Her voice came out as a whisper. "Yeah. I remember now… The Commodore…" She sniffed and wiped her face, then looked up at Rob. "We have to avenge them. We have to finish the job."

Vlad kept switching his gaze between the two. "What happened?"

Rob's throat felt dry. He gulped hard before responding. "There was an attack on the ship. Pests managed to get there somehow and killed everyone. The Commodore was fighting… someone, I couldn't make out who. Tendeth was killed, but with his last breath he teleported Jamie away. That's when we found her at the docks."

Jamie added, "Someone doesn't want us to find the pest in Elmore."

Vlad narrowed his eyes and folded his arms as he concentrated for a few moments. He looked up at the two kids. "We musn't act rashly. Jamie must return to the outpost and inform Captain Perior— I mean, Commodore Perior, of what has happened."

Jamie bowed her head and clasped her hands. She weakly said, "I don't… I don't think I can face him just yet."

She glanced at Rob without moving her head, unknown to him because of her concealed eyes.

"Rob," she said. "Could… Could you—?"

"Of course," the cyclops replied, immediately understanding.

Vlad nodded. "Very well. Jamie, you can stay here and recover. I'll have some friends quietly begin the hunt for the pest." A sour grimace came over his features. "Right now, this mysterious puppet master thinks he has the upper hand. We must do nothing to suggest otherwise." He turned away from the others, fists trembling in rage. "I'll avenge you, Tendeth. Just you wait."

"I'll show you a room, Jamie," Carrie said.

Jamie stood from her chair, her head still bowed, and quietly responded, "Thanks." She then immediately added, "Don't let anyone know I slept over, you hear?"

"Yeah, definitely not," Carrie replied.

Once the two girls left, Rob approached Vlad and asked, "Is she going to be alright?"

Vlad took a deep breath. "She'll recover, but the guilt will weigh on her. Not that she's guilty of anything, but she feels like she failed Tendeth." He turned towards the cyclops. "You should really go speak to Captain Perior and inform him of what has occurred. I expect he will become the new Commodore." He sighed again. "Bad news is like bad-tasting medicine. It's better to taste it sooner rather than later. You don't want someone else to break the news to him."

Rob stared at the floor. "I… I understand."

He turned to leave but felt a ghostly hand on his shoulder somehow. He turned his head to see Vlad smiling at him.

"You're doing real good here, Rob," Vlad muttered. "I had a feeling you'd be the best person to take this task on, and I'm glad to see that I was right."

Rob smiled back. "Thank you. I… I wasn't sure how I could actually help out when it turned out there was a real threat, but… Well, I'm still not sure, but I'll do my best."

Vlad nodded. "That's all we can do. On your way, now."

Rob departed for the docks, checking to see if the special ring was still on him.

* * *

"Perior. I have news."

"Very well, but you should address me as Captain."

Rob's gaze lowered. "I'm afraid that may no longer be the case. I have some bad news… Commodore Tendeth is dead. He died saving Jamie, so she could report to me and Vlad what happened. There was a pest attack aboard the ship, but someone was controlling them, and Commodore Tendeth was killed. I'm… I'm sorry."

Perior stared at him in shock, mouth agape.

When he finally spoke, his voice was shaky. "No. It can't be… How could this have happened? Tendeth… dead?"

He looked at the ground listlessly for a few moments. His eyes shut tightly, then he cleared his throat and looked up. "Thank you for telling me, Rob. I'll… I'll work with Vlad to determine the best course of action. We'll get in touch with you when we're ready. I'd like to thank you for all the help you have shown the Valluta."

With that, Perior left, extremely distraught.

Rob remained on the outpost, unsure of what to do. He stood there for so long, he heard the news break out among the residents, and he remembered all the pain and hurt he felt as they began to mourn and grieve.

He turned to leave, their conversations burning themselves in his head.

"He's dead! He's dead! My Mikhal is dead!"

"Maybe you should go back to the mainland, see some family?"

"And leave his grave? Never! I'm going to stay here, with him!"

"I heard about the landing party. All those young people… And the Commodore…"

"I guess you're glad you stopped your son from becoming a soldier, huh?"

"Yes, but now he knows a pain that won't leave him for the rest of his life. Maybe I should reconsider… let him train. It might take his mind off things…"

"No… All my friends… they're all gone…"

Rob did not know these people. He thought he wouldn't really care as much as he did. But somehow, he felt their pain. These Valluta had been fighting for centuries, but this seemed like one of their biggest losses in history.

Rob gnashed his teeth and clenched his fists as he approached the beach.

Whoever did this, he would find them.

And he would make them pay.

* * *

**Phase 2**

**A Void Dance**

_Commodore Perior believes that a smaller scouting party will be able to track down the escaped pest without drawing too much attention to itself. Perhaps this way, there will not be a repeat of what befell the first expedition, but that doesn't mean there won't be trouble along the way..._

**Coming Soon**


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